Cardinals Called Trade Fit for Two Veteran Starters as Deadline Approaches

Two veteran starters have been called possible fits for the Cardinals.

May 24, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (38) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are starting to struggle a little bit. Despite a 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night, the team is now in third place in the National League Central, five games back of first place as it begins a three-game set with the Cincinnati Reds.

The trade deadline is still several weeks away, but it will certainly be an interesting time as the Cardinals try to figure out what they will do. They are still rebuilding, so fans shouldn't expect anything crazy.

However, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report listed two starting pitchers that they could potentially take a look at.

"Chaim Bloom has built his name off of player development, so it seems unlikely he's going to make any moves this summer that drastically worsen the club's farm system," Kelly wrote. "Adding a veteran starting pitcher on an expiring contract like Robbie Ray or the aforementioned (Jeffrey) Springs might be a good way for Bloom to buy without risking the future."

How each starter would fit with St. Louis

Jun 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Springs has a club option for 2027, so if the Cardinals add him at the trade deadline, they would have the ability to keep him for at least one more season and not have to make a huge sacrifice financially.

The 33-year-old left-hander is 3-6 with a 4.37 ERA in 13 starts this season. Ray is a former Cy Young winner, but the two-time All-Star is struggling with the San Francisco Giants, owning a 3-6 record and 4.45 ERA in 12 starts.

However, he would be a pure rental and likely would not cost the Cardinals much, and he does have a solid track record. This would allow Bloom to stay true to the rebuild without completely conceding the season.

Still, the Cardinals may be more likely to sell at the trade deadline. They have two pitchers on expiring contracts: reliever JoJo Romero and starter Dustin May. Closer Riley O'Brien has four years of club control left, but could still be an interesting trade candidate.

Because Bloom focuses so heavily on player development, selling might be the best path for St. Louis so that they can add more pitching depth to its farm system for the future.

While the Cardinals are 32-28, it might still take a while before they end up back in postseason contention, but it will be interesting to see if they consider either of these pitchers at the deadline.